OAKLAND — BART riders yearning for 21st century technology on their trains might finally get WiFi — but don’t hold your breath just yet.
The agency’s governing board is poised on Thursday to approve the first step in the process: an exclusive negotiating agreement with Mobilitie Management, LLC, to provide WiFi at BART stations and on trains. The agreement also includes cell service for Muni Metro subways.
From there, BART and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) have six months to iron out a contract with Mobilitie — though BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost said they expect to have a contract in place by the summer.
Once they do, it’ll be another 12 to 18 months for the contractor to install the hardware it needs to provide WiFi at BART stations. Then, it’ll be another 18 to 24 months for BART to outfit all its new trains with WiFi. The trains, which just started carrying passengers earlier this year, come equipped with WiFi onboard but will need to be retrofitted with radios that transmit the correct frequency, Trost said. And, Mobilitie will also have to install poles along the tracks to relay the signal.
“WiFi onboard trains will take longer to implement because we need to erect poles along our tracks to relay the signal,” she said. “This work can only be done during the hours we are closed.”
Nor will WiFi be available on the old trains, Trost said. BART is replacing its 669 train cars with 775 new ones, an effort that is expected to be completed in 2022. But, there may still be a few of the older train cars rolling around until BART can purchase more.
“It’s about time,” said Oakland resident Tommaso Sciortino, adding that the lack of WiFi on a train system operating near the Silicon Valley was “kind of conspicuous.”
“Other countries seem to have it a lot,” he said.
Still, other riders doubted how much it would make a difference in their lives. With a smartphone in almost every hand and unlimited data plans, what else do you need? Cupertino resident Richard Ha was busy working from his laptop on BART on a recent Tuesday evening.
“I just use my hotspot,” he said. “I don’t even have a preference.”
It’s not the first time BART has tried to get WiFi on its trains or stations. BART entered into a contract with WiFi Rail, Inc. in 2008 for wireless services on its trains and in its stations. The company, which is headquartered in Oakland, began installing equipment on trains and along BART’s tracks. But, that effort was derailed in 2012 when disagreements between BART and the company delayed further work. BART terminated the contract in 2014, according to court documents.
WiFi Rail has since filed two lawsuits against the agency — one in 2016 alleging BART illegally terminated the contract and a second in April this year alleging BART subsequently violated a confidentiality agreement between the two parties. Both are pending.
Muni Metro riders might see construction on subway cell service starting in the fall, said Paul Rose, a spokesman for the SFMTA. But, it’s unclear how long it will take since that portion of the contract hasn’t yet been ironed out. The SFMTA’s portion of the contract does not include WiFi, and Rose said the agency doesn’t offer WiFi on any of its buses, either.
“We’ve heard from riders who’ve asked for cell service in the subway,” Rose said. “We think this could help improve communications to our riders and assist in emergency situations, as well as provide the riding public with a service they want.”
Caltrain riders can also expect to wait a few years for WiFi. In April, the state announced it would give the commuter rail $164.5 million to help replace three-quarters of its diesel trains with electric ones. Those new trains, which are expected to start carrying passengers in 2022, will be outfitted with wireless capabilities, said Caltrain spokesman Dan Lieberman.
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Some SamTrans buses could get WiFi late next year, Lieberman said. The agency recently purchased 65 new buses, which will come hardwired with WiFi capabilities, but Lieberman said SamTrans still needs to find a wireless provider.